Adolescents Identities and High Risk Sexual Behaviors: Longitudinal Analyses

1. Adolescents� Identities and High Risk Sexual Behaviors: Longitudinal Analyses By Monica A. Longmore Wendy D. Manning Peggy C. Giordano Department of Sociology Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 mseff@bgsu.edu *This research is supported by grants from the Department of Health and Human Services (PAR-04-185), and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD36223). This research is also supported by the Center for Family and Demographic Research at Bowling Green State University, which has core funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R24HD050959-01).

2. Background Half of all high school age adolescents report that they have had sexual intercourse Among sexually experienced youths, risk-taking trends include: earlier age of sexual activity greater numbers of partners increased acceptance of non-dating sexual intercourse inconsistent condom use high rates of pregnancy or causing a pregnancy

3. Purpose To evaluate how identities are related to sexual behavior. We Provide the results of two studies. STUDY 1: Troublemakers, Being Popular, and High Risk Sexual Behaviors To examine adolescents� self identities as troublemakers and as popular to predict sexual risk-taking over a 12 month interval. Outcomes include: (1) number of sexual partners; (2) involvement in non-dating sex; (3) number of non-dating sexual partners; (4) condom use consistency; (5) pregnancy; and (6) involvement in a regrettable sexual situation due to intoxication.

4. Method Two waves of data gathered in 2000 and 2002 from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (n = 1,122 seventh, ninth, and eleventh graders) Multiple and logistic regression analyses

5. Results Self-identifying as a troublemaker at the first wave is related to: number of sexual partners involvement in non-dating sexual activity number of non-dating sexual partners involvement in a regrettable sexual situation due to intoxication Effects of the troublemaker identity are not conditional on gender. Popularity is associated with condom use.

6. Conclusion Both positive and negative identities predict sexual risk-taking net of other known correlates including prior number of sexual partners. Troublemaker identity is associated with a greater number of sexual risk outcomes. Motivational aspect of identities that guide sexual behavior are important to understand, and may play critical roles in development of healthier and more satisfying relationships.

7. Next Steps Consider teens whose identities take them in the direction of more promiscuous or sexually risky identities, paying attention to the critical processes of moving away from such identities Consider identities among those youths who do not exhibit high risk behavior, even though their demographic and social profiles would suggest that they would be likely to do so. Continue to explore ways in which identities may be incorporated in the development of interventions to delay adolescent sexual activity, encourage fewer sexual partners, and encourage monogamy.

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12. Anderson�s Player Hypothesis Anderson (1989) linked the player role to the conditions of inner city life, particularly for young African American males. Anderson argued that lack of access to meaningful employment paths and a general lack of opportunities for success along traditional lines serve to heighten the emphasis on �scoring� with women as a way of demonstrating competence with male peers. Anderson hypothesized that poverty among African American youth encourages a view of sex as a means of masculine-identity construction instead of as an integral component of a romantic relationship. Sex is viewed as a game, where women are tokens and the competition is against other males to gain social status.

13. Study 2: The Social Characteristics of Players 1. We evaluate whether the identity of player is inextricably linked with poverty and minority status. We assess the degree to which endorsement of the player identity is associated with: (a) earlier age at first sex; (b) higher numbers of sex partners; (C) cheating; and (d) greater likelihood of hook-ups.

14. KEY QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS Who identifies as a player? Results indicate that African American respondents, those affiliated with sexually liberal peers, and young men who initially report a relatively high number of sexual partners are more likely to resonate with the player identity. Nevertheless, analyses reveal that a number of players within the sample are not disadvantaged African American youths, and there is considerable variability in attitudes and behaviors. Is the player identity associated with behavior? Yes, findings based on longitudinal analyses indicate that the player identity is a significant predictor of self-reported sexual behavior, net of traditional predictors including prior sexual behavior.

15. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS COMPLICATE THE QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS Why the complexity? Young men�s perceptions of the player identity are not as uniformly positive as Anderson�s depiction might lead. Disclaimers or Distancing oneself from the label in several ways. (1) The influence of women � �There are some girls that would, just do anything, to be the one known as the one that messed around with you! There are a lot of girls that do that, they�ll uswe me as a trophy. Like wanting to show me off, like this is who I am with [Julian, 17]. (2) The honesty disclaimer � �Cause, I�m a kind of like a male whore at my school, lots of people don�t know me that good. Just cause they see all these girls that want me, they assume that I mess around with all of them and that I�m just some player�I don�t think I am, cause like I said a player is a kind of guy that would lie to a girl, and lie to more than one girl. Like how much they like them. I don�t do that [Andrew, 17] (3)Phase of the life disclaimer � �I was too young. I don�t want to date that long. That�s like being married almost [Daniel, 17].

16. In the prior quotes, youths managed to maintain positive self-images by emphasizing desirability, their level of up-front honesty, and that the behavior is appropriate for these phase of life.Evidence of discomfort:�Life I was telling my self, when I was involved with three girls�I didn�t like it. I was hurting girls that I liked. Kind of playing them. Like having a relationship now is pretty important to me [Will, 17].�Yeah, in my mind, yes, I kew it was wrong.� [Jermaine, 18]

17. CONCLUSION Prevention efforts focused on health beliefs and knowledge have frequently been shown to be rather limited in their effectiveness. The results of these two studies suggest the value of focusing on issues of social reputation and identity as well as more broadly on relationship issues (e.g., cheating). Curricula should include attention to the role of peers because interactions with the wider network of peers clearly foster social rewards for behaviors.